Container transfer apparatus



Oct. 2, 1934. F K. F|LDES 1,975,636

CONTAINER TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed July '28, 193C: 4 Sheets-Sheet l I v I 31 d9 ,5; 10 i v 4 2 25 INVENTOS; Q/fi Z 2 ll By; malaria}: if. 7 11M; ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 2, 1934. FILDEs 1,975,636

CONTAINER TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed July 28, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

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WITNESSES- Patented Oct. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER TRANSFER APPARATUS Frederick K. Fildes, Altoona,'Pa.

Application July 28, 1933, Serial No. 682,636 1 Claim. (01. 212-44) This invention relates to apparatus for transferring railway containers or like objects from one platform to another, as from railway car to railway car, from car to truck, from car to stationary platform or vice versa, the invention being particularly useful at stations where cranes or other container handling facilities are not available.

The principal object of the invention is to provide simple and inexpensive means for shifting a container from one platform to another, such transfer means being readilyzmovable to the desired position alongside a container vehicle or a station platform, and constituting a unit complete in itself and not dependent for its'operation upon special car truck, or station platform equipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide in such container transfer apparatusa framework having'a movable overhead trackway adapted to be projected outward beyond the ends of the framework to overhang a car,'platform,. or. truck, and to be retracted into the framework when it is desired to remove an obstruction to passing vehicles.

Other more specific objects and advantages characterizing my invention will become more fully apparent from the description hereinafter set forth of one embodiment or example thereof,

the description having reference to the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:.

Fig. I represents a plan view of transfer apparatus of my invention, showing a typical arrangement of stationplatform, railwaytrack and truck runway to which the invention is well adapted. a

Fig. II represents an enlarged side elevation of the transfer apparatus operating to shift containers to and from a railway car.

Fig. III represents an enlarged plan view of the transfer apparatus. 1

Fig. IV represents an enlarged end elevation of the transfer apparatus, with a portion of the overhanging trackway shown. in cross section;

Fig. V represents a crosssection of the transfer apparatus taken as indicated by the arrows V-V in Fig. II. r With the particular reference to Fig. I, there is represented in the drawings atypical transfer station arrangement to which my invention may-be applied to advantage. The transfer apparatus is comprehensively designated at -1 and moves along a track formed'of spaced parallel rails 2.

At one side of the rails -2 and paralleltherewith,

there is shown a section of railway track 3 with cars 4 thereon carrying shipping containers 5. At the other side of the rails 2 and parallel therewith, there is an elevated platform 6 upon which containers may be temporarily deposited. Adjacent to one end of the platform 6 there is a truck runway 7 in which space I have shown conventionally a motor truck 8. An additional railway track is represented at 311. having a dead end adjacent to the truck runway 7. On the railway track 311 there is shown a car 4a with containers 5a. thereon. It will, of course, be understood that the above transfer station arrangement is simply representative of a typical practice of my invention, and that many otherarrangements are embraced within the invention.

The transfer apparatus 1 is illustrated in detail in Figs. II, III and IV. It comprises generally a box framework rigidly tied and braced at the top, bottom and sides and having openings in each end thereof. The framework of the transfer apparatus includes corner posts 10 connected near their bottom ends by a base member 11, and joined at their upper ends by a rectangular frame 12 including corner gussets 13 and diagonal braces 14. At the sides the transfer apparatus framework is reinforced by corner gussets 15 and diagonal braces 16. The reference herein to sides and ends of the transfer apparatus is merely for the purpose of convenient designation, as the particular shape of the box framework admits of considerable variation. As clearly shown in Fig. III, the base member 11 affords an elevated platform 17 extending along each side of the framework upon which the operator may move about freely within the framework. The platform height approximates that of a container car floor. The container transfer apparatus 1 has wheels 19 at the four corners of the bottom of the framework, these wheels being disposed transversely and flanged for engagement with the rails 2. Inasmuch as the framework of the container transfer apparatus 1 is movable along the ground, whether supported on rails or engaging the ground directly, as a unit independent of the container carrying vehicles, I conveniently designate the same as a ground engaging framework.

In the illustrated example of my invention, one pair of wheels 19 is interconnected and propolled by hand operated mechanism readily accessible to an operator standing on the base platform 11. The propelling mechanism includes a hand wheel 20, mounted on one of the corner posts 10 some distance above the base platform 17, and driving through bevel gears 21 a vertical shaft 22. At the bottom end of the shaft 22 there are bevel gears 23 connecting the same to a horizontal shaft 24 which extends across the side of the framework, and which is preferably housed in and protected by a channel beam 25. Each end of the connecting shaft 24 has thereon bevel gears 26 driving vertical shafts 27 which extend downward to the vicinity of the wheels 19 and connect therewith through suitable gearing, such gearing being located within gear casings designated at 28.

Extending horizontally and transversely across each end of the framework of the containertransfer apparatus 1 near the top thereof, are cross beams 30 which desirably take the form of channel beams and which support container hoisting and carrying mechanism. The openings 31, 32 at each end of the framework between the beams 30 and the base platform 11 are conveniently designated as container receiving openings, for they are essentially of a size sufficient to permit a container to enter therethrough into the interior of the framework.

Suspended from the cross beams 30 by means of inverted U-shaped brackets 33 carrying rollers 34 at the ends of their arms, are two I-beams 35 which together consti ute a trackway for the container hoisting and carrying mechanism. The I-beams 35 extend endwise across the top of the framework and lead from the vicinity of the opening 31, at one end of the framework, to the vicinity of the opening 32 at the other end thereof. Desirably each I-beam 35 is of such a length that when one of its ends is substantially at the entrance to the container receiving opening 32 the other end will project outward beyond the center line of the railway track 3. The I-beams 35 are spaced apart in parallel relation at a distance corresponding approximately to the center to center distance between each pair of lifting hooks 36 on the containers with which the apparatus is operated.

Supported on the base flange of each I-beam 35 there is a trolley 37. As shown most clearly in Fig. V, the two trolleys 37 are interconnected by a tubular casing 38 which houses at each end 39 suitable hoisting gear for elevating the containers. The hoising gear at one end-is connected to the hoisting gear at the other end by a shaft which extends through the tubular casing 38. To operate the hoisting gear, there is provided an external sheave 40 with an operating chain 41 hanging down therefrom to within reach of a man standing within the framework, or on the container carrying vehicle alongside the framework.

The particular form of lifting coupler which is suspended from the hoist of the container transfer apparatus 1 forms the subject of my copending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial No. 632,635, filed July 23, 1933. It comprises two stirrup suspension arms 42, 43 which are pivoted at their ends about a si'iaft 44 and which are maintained in angular spread position with capacity for limited relative movement. The shaft 44 passes through and is supported at its ends by yokes 45 which are linked to the hoisting chains 46, one to each hoist. Associated with' each U-shaped arm 42, 43 there is an operating rod 42a, 43a, constituting an extension of one end of the arm. At the end of each operating rod 42a, 43a, there is an eye 48 through which passes a control line 49 in the form of a flexible cable. Each control line 49 passes through the eye 48 of one operating rod 42a, 43a, and leads to the heel 47 of the other U-shaped arm 42, 43. Stops 50 on the control lines 49, of a size too large to pass through the eyes 48, hold the U-shaped arms 42, 43 in spread position when they are not engaged with a container. At their ends the control lines terminate in weighted handles 51 which extend downward conveniently within the reach of a man standing on the platform 11 of the transfer apparatus 1, or on the platform of a container vehicle alongside the transfer apparatus. Obviously, the lifting coupler may be operated from either side of the container.

For the purpose of propelling the trolleys 3'? simultaneously along the I-beams 35, there is provided a transverse actuating shaft 52 having winding drums 53 spaced thereon above the I- beams 35. The winding drums 53 and actuating .shaft 52 are connected through gears 64 and pinions to a shaft 61 having thereon a sheave 54. The sheave 54 in turn is operated by a hand chain 55 hanging downward within the framework to a position within convenient reach of a man standing on the platform 11. Attached to each winding dIUlIl 53 there is a. continuous cable 56 which extends in opposite directions over sheaves 5'7 above the container receiving openings, and then downward and outward over pairs of sheaves 58 at the ends of the I-beam 35. The cable 56 extends inward from each end of each I-beam 35 to the trolley 37 where it is attached as indicated at 59, 60. In an obvious manner movement of the hand operated chain 55, through winding drums 53 and cables 56, causes the trolleys 3'7"to be propelled together along the I- beams 35. r

The framework of the container transfer apparatus is balasted near the base thereof to insure balance when handling a container suspended at the extreme ends of the overhanging trackway. The additional weight added to the base of the framework may be applied at the regions designated at 62, 63 in Fig. IV.

The I-beams 35 are rigidly cross-braced at their ends by angle bars 67, 63, and they are braced centrally between their ends by a rectangular frame 69 which supports the actuating shaft 52 on which the winding drums 53 are mounted.

For the purpose of moving the trackway formed of the I-beams 35, there is provided above the container receiving opening 32 of the framework an actuating shaft 71 having thereon a winding drum '72 and connected through a gear '73 and pinion 74 to an additional shaft '75 with a sheave '76 thereon. The sheave '76 is rotated by a hand operated chain 7'? depending to within convenient reach of a man standing on the platform 11. A cable 78 wound around the winding drum '72 leads in one direction to the end of the frame 69 where it is fastened as indicated at '79, and leads in the other direction to the angle bar 63 where it is fastened as indicated at 80. In an obvious manner operation of the hand chain 7'7 will cause the trackway to be projected outward to either end of the framework and retracted.

A typical example of the operation of the container transfer apparatus 1 is as follows: In the event that itis desired totransfer a container 5 from a car 4 standing on the track 3, to a truck 8 disposed in the truck runway '7, the container transfer apparatus 1 is first moved along the rails 2 to a position abreast of the particular container 5 which it is desired to shift. This movement is accomplished by the operator turning the operating wheel 20 which, through the mechanism hereinbefore described, propels the wheels 19 and drives the transfer apparatus 1. With the container transfer apparatus in position abreast of the container to be transferred, the operator standing on the base platform 17 operates the hand chain 77 to project the I-beams outward beyond the center line of the railway track 3. Then the operator proceeds to actuate the hand chain to bring the trolleys 37 and the hoisting mechanism to a point above the container.

At this point, if there is no container adjacent the one to be transferred, the operator may step over onto the car floor to operate the hoisting chain 41; or if there is a container in that position, the chain 41 Will hang over the side of that container and be accessible from the platform 11.

The operator then proceeds by means of the hoisting mechanism to lower the lifting coupler onto the top of the container to be transferred to the point where the heels 47 of the arms 42, 43 rest on the surfaces adjacent to the container hooks 36. By manipulation of the control lines 49, the arms 12, 43 may be caused to come to rest within the bight of each hook 36. With the container in readiness for hoisting, the hand chain 41 is operated to lift the container clear of its seat members 84 on the railway car 4. The operator then shifts his position to a point beneath the sheave 54 and manipulates the hand chain 55 to bring the container into the interior of the framework.

With the container positioned within the framework of the transfer apparatus, the entire apparatus may, if necessary, be moved along the rails 2 to a position abreast of the truck runway 7. The motor truck 8 which has come to receive the container is then backed to a position with its rear end alongside the container receiving opening 32 of the framework. The operator proceeds to project the trackway outward over the truck by manipulation of the hand chain 7'7, and to bring the container to a point over the truck platform by manipulation of the hand chain 55, whereupon he proceeds to lower the container by means of the hoisting mechanism onto the platform of the motor truck 8, and then to uncouple the container. For the purpose of uncoupling, when the hoisting mechanism has been operated to lower the container onto the truck platform, the arms 42, 43 of the lifting coupler are caused to be spread to disengage the hooks 36. Before again raising the lifting coupler, the operator pulls the handle 51 of the control line 49 and holds the handle with one hand while raising the lifting coupler by means of the hoist operating chains 41 with the other hand. In this manner the lifting coupler clears the container hooks and is readily disengaged.

If it is desired to transfer a container from the railway car 4 to the station platform 6, this movement can be accomplished in a manner similar to the car to truck transfer. Furthermore, containers 5a from the car 4a on the track 3a may obviously be shifted by the apparatus of this invention to the truck 8, to the car 4, to the platform 6, or to the ground as desired.

It will be observed that the container transfer apparatus of my invention is extremely flexible in its operation and may be employed in many different ways from those particularly described herein to shift containers laterally from one elevated platform to another, or from an elevated platform to the ground, or vice versa. It will also be observed that the overhead trackway need be extended over the railroad track only while transferring a container from or to a railway car; and thus when the transfer apparatus 1 is not in use, it may safely be maintained in a position alongside a railway track without danger of the trackway or the apparatus associated therewith striking vehicles moving on the railway track.

While I have described one particular form which the container transfer apparatus of my invention may take, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the annexed claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

Transfer apparatus for railway containers or the like, substantially as described, comprising a movable box framework adapted to house a container and mounted on wheels to engage rails, said framework having openings at each end, an operators platform corresponding substantially to the height of the floor of a railway car, and bracing the base of said framework between each pair of transversely spaced wheels, a trackway extending endwise across the top of the framework and comprising parallel beams spaced apart at a distance corresponding substantially to the width of a railway container, said trackway being movable in the direction of its length and adapted to be projected outward through either of the openings in the ends of the framework, means operable from said operators platform for so moving said trackway, container hoisting and carrying mechanism movable on said trackway and adapted to engage a container at points beneath said beams, and means for progressing said mechanism in and out of the framework, said means being operable from said operators platform.

FREDERICK K. FILDES. 

